A SHELL to Sea protester was sentenced to three months imprisonment for his part in a ‘lock-on’ protest during a protest against the Corrib gas project.
Terence Conway of Inver, Barnatra was sentenced during a week long special sitting of Belmullet District Court which heard cases of 19 Shell to Sea protesters. Mr Conway was the only person to receive a prison sentence while three others received suspended sentences and fines in all cases totalled €8,350.

Last month (December 2011) I was invited to make a written submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture, which is reviewing Ireland’s licensing terms for oil and gas exploration. My submission is below.

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Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture

Offshore Exploration: Discussion

Submission by journalist William Hederman

Supported by Dr Andy Storey, School of Politics & International Relations, University College Dublin

December 12th, 2011

I am a freelance journalist. I am also a campaigner in a voluntary capacity. In the past year, I have carried out extensive research into issues around Ireland’s management of its hydrocarbon resources. I was motivated to do this by the fact that debate on the topic has been so poorly informed. My research has resulted in several significant – and alarming – revelations. Chief among these is the existence of an industry report which shows that, because of the extraordinary tax write-offs available under Ireland’s licensing terms, the State ‘take’ from gas fields in Irish waters is likely to be closer to 5% than to the 25% – or 40% – that is widely perceived to be the case.

A local record label is looking to reinforce Cork’s 'rebel' nickname by raising funds for those fined for their involvement in the Shell to Sea campaign. Eddie Kiely of FIFA Records outlined that the event at The Pavilion on Thursday, March 29th is in “support of the people of Rossport in their struggle against the controversial Shell pipeline” with Rebels Against the Pipe featuring Hope is Noise, Wasp V’s Humans along with Trumpets of Jericho and Lamp.

Today concluded a week long special sitting of Belmullet District court hearing cases of 19 Shell to Sea campaigners. One campaigner received a prison sentence and three others received suspended sentences. Fines for all cases totalled €8350.

John Monaghan is a Rossport resident and is a spokesperson for Pobail Chill Chomain, a community campaign opposing Shell's inland refinery project in north Mayo (the Corrib Gas project).

On the 22nd of February 2012, he was travelling down the road, and was stopped by members of the Garda, working in the area to force through Shell's Corrib Gas project. They smash his car window in after less than 2 minutes. Here is the video:

A mid-week update on Special Sitting for Corrib campaigners in Belmullet district court

On Tuesday Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway was handed two 3-month prison sentences for protesting against Shell's Corrib Gas Project. Throughout the week local residents have been protesting on the roads while many of their supporters are up in court in Belmullet, which so far has resulted in fines totalling 5,825 euro.

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Blast from the Past

Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe’s first contact with a TD came about because he saw Clare Daly TD on ‘Tonight with Vincent Browne’ talking about policing of Corrib Gas protests, writes William Hederman

The repercussions for Garda whistleblowers Maurice McCabe and John Wilson will be familiar to others who have publicly embarrassed An Garda Síochána. They were clearly acting in the public interest, but their revelations brought the force into disrepute, and the two men suffered as a result. Revenge was exacted – not only by colleagues, but also by way of public denunciation by the Garda Commissioner (“disgusting”), the Minister for Justice (“not co-operating”) and by various other parties loyal to the force.

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"The Corrib licence was granted under an older licensing system. No royalties are payable, just corporation tax of 25pc less any allowances that the companies enjoy. That system was completely flawed and yet again we find that there are only marginal returns for taxpayers from new gas finds."